The Kansas City Royals are in desperate need of a boost. Matt Quatraro’s squad has lost seven out of their last 10 games, although they faced the formidable Los Angeles Dodgers during this stretch. This slump has allowed the Cleveland Guardians to overtake them for the top spot in the AL Central. It’s clear the Royals need help across the board to get back into contention. It appears that someone from Pedro Grifol’s Chicago White Sox might be joining them soon: Tommy Pham.
**Benefitting from a White Sox fire sale**
According to John Heyman of the New York Post, Matt Quatraro and the Royals’ front office are reportedly interested in acquiring Tommy Pham. He could provide the necessary spark to help the team regain the AL Central lead from the Guardians, who are currently just six games ahead. Pham’s batting and outfield skills would be a significant addition to the squad.
Pham has demonstrated great versatility with the White Sox, playing both center field and left field under Pedro Grifol. As a fire sale looms for the White Sox, Pham could be one of the players they let go to gain some capital for the future.
An executive from a rival team reportedly said that Pham “can hit.” If Grifol and the White Sox front office decide to let him go, the Royals are expected to be among the first teams to make an offer. Other players who might be included in this fire sale are Garrett Crochet, Erick Fedde, Paul DeJong, Michael Kopech, and Luis Robert.
Any team that acquires these key pieces from Grifol’s squad would be fortunate, including Quatraro’s Royals.
**A potential issue if the Royals acquire Tommy Pham**
The Royals shouldn’t worry about Pham’s numbers. This season, Pham has had 149 at-bats for the White Sox, producing a .282 AVG and .744 OPS, along with three home runs. Quatraro’s Royals would welcome that kind of performance on their struggling team. However, Pham recently got into an altercation during a game against the Milwaukee Brewers, which they lost 6-3.
William Contreras and Pham exchanged words after Contreras blocked him from reaching a base. Pham went after the Brewers player and didn’t back down until the umpire intervened. After the game, Pham expressed his anger and cursed out Contreras when asked about the incident, according to Ian Casselberry of Yahoo Sports.
“I’m nailed out at home by a mile, I’m going to the dugout and I hear the tough guy with all the ‘hoo-rah’ s***. I’m never starting anything, but I’ll be prepared to finish it. There’s a reason I do all kinds of fighting in the offseason. Because I’m prepared to f*** somebody up,” Pham said.
Clearly, Pham is an enforcer for a team. Whether the Royals need such a player as they aim to clinch the AL Central title is up for debate.
